Like many other bureaus or agencies with few appointees, the structure of embassy management means that the ambassador, regardless of professional background, works closely with a careerist deputy; in this case, that position is the deputy chief of mission (DCM).

A delightful surprise at the Tribeca Film Festival, partly because the film so little resembles its description, Stephen Maing's "High Tech, Low Life" ostensibly examines censorship of the Internet and news media in China, But the pic is driven less by its subject matter than by its two very different and utterly fascInating bloggers: Twentysomething Zhou Shuguang is unabashedly careerist, seeing blogging as a means of self-promotion, while 57-year-old Zhang Shihe is genuinely dedicated to helping the poor find justice.

It is this contrast, between the worthy but dull careerist pen-pushers and the flamboyant household names from sporting and showbiz worlds, that inevitably turns the honours list into a biannual talking shop.

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